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Friday, October 31, 2014

Though reviewers say that the 2014 KiaOptima
Hybrid has a handsome, high-quality interior, they note that other hybrid
sedans offer better fuel economy and smoother transitions between gas and
electric power.

The Optima Hybrid comes
with a four-cylinder engine, an electric motor and a six-speed automatic
transmission. Test drivers say the Optima Hybrid has sufficient
power and accelerates adequately, but they complain that it doesn’t transition
as smoothly between gas and electric power as its hybrid rivals do. The base
2014 Optima Hybrid gets an
EPA-estimated 36/40 mpg city/highway, which is good for a midsize car but lower
than most hybrid competitors’ estimates. Test drivers say the Optima Hybrid has poised
handling, though they note that other hybrids still handle with more composure.
They write that the Optima
Hybrid’s ride is fairly comfortable overall, though not quite as smooth as the
non-hybrid Optima’s.

Automotive journalists like the handsome design of the Kia Optima Hybrid’s cabin, and
they say it has high-quality interior materials and a long list of available
features. Reviewers write that the Optima Hybrid’s
front seats are comfortable. However, critics complain that headroom is tight
in the rear seats, and the Optima Hybrid has a smaller trunk than most of its
competitors. Standard features in the 2014 Kia Optima Hybrid include
satellite radio, Bluetooth, a USB port, push-button start, dual-zone automatic
climate control and a cooled glove box. Available features include leather
upholstery, power-adjustable, heated and cooled front seats, heated rear seats,
a heated steering wheel, Kia’s
voice-activated UVO infotainment system, an Infinity audio system, blind spot
monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, rear parking sensors, a rearview camera,
a panoramic sunroof and a navigation system with an 8-inch touch-screen
display.

Thursday, October 30, 2014

Official Automotive Partner of the NBA adds New Luxury
Designation and Expands the Kia Performance Awards Platform

-- NBA All-Star LeBron James will be featured in New Kia
Ad Campaign Launching Today --

The
National Basketball Association (NBA) and Kia
Motors America, Inc. (KMA) today announced a new multiyear extension of their
marketing partnership, which began in 2008.In addition to continuing to serve as the league’s Official Automotive
Partner, Kia also now is
recognized as the Official Luxury Vehicle of the NBA, following the recent
introduction of the brand’s modern and elegant K900 rear-drive luxury
sedan.Kia will continue as the Official
Automotive Partner of NBA All-Star and the title partner of Kia NBA Tip-Off, the Kia NBA
Performance Awards, and the Kia NBA All-Star MVP award. Kia also will expand
its relationship to serve as an Official Automotive Partner of the Women’s
National Basketball Association (WNBA) and NBA Development League (NBA
D-League).

Earlier
this month, Kia
announced LeBron James as its K900 Luxury Ambassador.To celebrate the start of the NBA season and Kia NBA Tip-Off 2014, Kia also
will debut a new television spot tonight called “Valet” featuring James, who
joins a growing roster of Kia endorsers, which includes Los Angeles Clippers
All-Star forward Blake Griffin.

Kia Motors is prominently
featured throughout this week’s Kia NBA Tip-Off 2014, including integration
across numerous media assets, such as the countdown clock on NBA.com and NBA
TV, courtside signage, and social media and integration in the league’s
extensive “Everybody Up” campaign.

To
further reinforce the brand’s association with top NBA performances, Kia will introduce
a new Top Plays platform on NBA.com.Each week fans will have the opportunity to vote on top plays, and at
season’s end, the highlight with the most fan votes will be named the Top Play
of the Year.In addition to helping
select the year’s top play, fans will have the opportunity to help dictate the
direction of a highlight-based commercial. Throughout the season, the NBA will
post exciting clips via Twitter and Vine for fan consideration.Plays that receive considerable retweets and
loops, respectively, will be aggregated into an end-of-season television
commercial, scheduled to debut during The Finals.

“As one
of Kia’s longest-running
partnerships, our involvement with the NBA and teams has driven dramatic
increases in consumer awareness, perception and consideration for the brand,
and we are excited to extend our partnership and continue connecting with the
league and its passionate fans,” said Tim Chaney, Vice President of Marketing
Communications, KMA.“Like the NBA, Kia is a brand that
appeals to a broad segment of the American market and through our expanded
partnership as Official Luxury Vehicle of the NBA, we hope to bring the K900
flagship sedan to the forefront and bring confident, independent thinkers to
Kia’s showrooms.”

“Kia is deeply integrated into the
NBA experience year round – from Kia NBA Tip-Off, NBA All-Star, the monthly and
season-ending Performance Awards, and the WNBA – through a variety of unique
content offerings and promotions,” said Emilio Collins, NBA Executive Vice
President, Global Marketing Partnerships.“Building off of Kia’s equity in our prestigious end-of-season Kia NBA
Performance Awards, we’re excited to continue to grow the platform with a seasonlong
fan engagement program that gives them a voice around some of our most exciting
content.”

Throughout
the partnership, Kia will help the league engage fans across additional
innovative programming, advertisements, and sweepstakes during the NBA season,
including a Holiday Gift promotion on NBA.com that will provide fans the chance
to win a Kia Optima and other exciting NBA prizing.

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Kia Motors' urban passenger vehicle, the
2015 Soul,
was named a winner during the 11 th annual Active Lifestyle Vehicle of the Year
awards held recently at Local Motors in Chandler, Arizona.

For the
third consecutive year, local media and athletes rated the latest Soul in the urban category after
static and dynamic evaluations, according to a company release.

"Winning
the Active Lifestyle Vehicle award for the third consecutive year speaks to the
popularity of the Soul's
young-at-heart personality, good looks and practicality for active and athletic
consumers," said Michael Sprague, executive vice president of sales and
marketing, KMA, according to the release. "With its eye-catching design,
expansive cargo capacity and premium technology options, the Soul stands out in
its segment as a winner for anyone on the move."

The
2015 Soul comes
standard with features like navigation, rear backup camera, Bluetooth, power
windows, power driver's seat, cruise control, a 6.6-kilowatt on-board charger
and an air-conditioning system intended to use less electricity.

The Soul is one of KMA's
best-selling nameplates, as the automaker sold more than 115,000 units this
year. Soul sales have
increased 28 percent compared to the same time in 2013.

With a
starting MSRP of $15,000, not including the destination charge of $800, the
2015 Soul is a great
value for those who are looking for great utility and style in a small package.

"The
fact that the KiaSoul has won our
Urban Lifestyle Vehicle of the Year three consecutive years speaks to how
strong the product is," said Nina Russin, founder Active Lifestyle Vehicle
program, according to the release. "The Soul's cargo area is versatile
enough to meet the needs of triathletes, cyclists, skiers and kayakers yet the
car is compact for easy maneuverability and very stylish; something that's
especially important to buyers in this segment."

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Kia continues its mission of coaxing
away buyers from the higher priced competition with its affordable 2015 SorentoSUV crossover, which starts at
under $25,000. The higher end SX models are powered by a 3.3 litre V6, but
still come in around $30,000.

The top
end SSX 4WD which is just
shy of $40,000 includes a panoramic sun roof, LED running lamps, 19 inch
alloys, and heated (or cooled) leather seats for all passengers. It can also
expand to hold an extra row of seating, bringing the total to 7.

A
competent touchscreen infotainment system with LCD display tops
off the interior features, and there’s also Bluetooth functionality, and blind
spot monitoring.

The V6
engine is mated with a 6 speed automatic transmission, resulting in 290
horsepower and 252lbs ft of torque. It can reach 0-60 in 7.6 seconds, and has
an advertised fuel economy of 19mpg in the city, and 27 on the highway.

On the
road it’s super smooth, hugs the corners well and is surprisingly punchy. It
comes with three driving
modes – Comfort, Normal and Sport – the latter of which improves responsiveness
and handling, but is nothing to write home about. At higher speeds it loses a
bit of steering steadiness and compared to some of the more luxury competitors
it’s shifting is not as snappy, but these certainly aren’t deal breakers.

Looks-wise
the 2015 KiaSorento is smart and reserved.
Designers haven’t gone out of their way to turn heads, which might be part of
the automaker’s goal of reaching a broad appeal. Kia is never going to be
considered quite on the level of BMW, Acura and Mercedes, but it doesn’t stoop
to being gimmicky. It’s affordable and well made, it doesn’t have to be
anything else.

Kia have proven
themselves to be a solid addition to the marketplace and in a couple of years
they may just be up their with their luxury rivals. What you get for the price
is well worth the money and if you’d ordinarily gloss over the brand, it’s
definitely worth a second glance.

Monday, October 27, 2014

Over
the years, the KiaSportage
has evolved from a rudimentary 4x4 SUV into a stylish and powerful compact
crossover SUV. The 2015 Kia
Sportage plays in a tough crowd against established competitors like the Honda
CR-V, Toyota RAV4 and Ford Escape, not to mention Nissan's excellent new Rogue,
all of which offer more interior space. As a counterpunch, the Sportage
emphasizes the first five letters of its name, with a firm suspension and a
powerful available turbocharged engine. While the smaller interior and cargo
space, not to mention the stiff suspension, may turn off some buyers, the
undeniably sporty Sportage has carved out a niche for itself against its
competitors. Of course, the standard 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty
may have something to do with that.

You'll Like This Car If...

If
you're looking for the tall ride height, all-wheel-drive (AWD) traction and
flexible cargo carrying capacity of a compact SUV, but you demand extra style,
power and creature comforts, the 2015 Kia Sportage deserves a good long
look.

You May Not Like This Car If...

While
the Kia Sportage is
definitely stylish, it's not particularly thrifty at the fuel pump, and is
handily beaten by nearly all of its major competitors. The Sportage is also not
as roomy as its competition, especially when it comes to cargo, and the ride
quality can be downright harsh.

What's New for 2015

The
2015 Kia Sportage
is essentially the same as last year's model, which received numerous visual
and mechanical enhancements.

Driving the Sportage

Driving
Impressions The Kia
Sportage comes in two flavors: competitive and aggressive. The standard
2.4-liter engine delivers 182 horsepower, and it's easily competitive with the
standard engines you'll find in a Honda...

...
CR-V, Toyota RAV4, Nissan Rogue, or many other compact SUVs. What you won't
find is anything quite like the 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder and its 260
horsepower, which turns the Sportage into the class jock. However, both
Sportage models come with an unexpectedly stiff suspension, which unfortunately
doesn't pay off in handling. Instead, there's a bouncy ride, but too much body
roll, essentially the worst of both worlds. We also found the Sportage's high
beltline and narrow windows somewhat limit 360-degree visibility, which is the
exact opposite of what most SUV buyers want in this kind of vehicle. However,
the steering feel is pretty good, and the brakes definitely stop the Sportage
quickly.

Favorite Features

PANORAMIC
SUNROOF

If you
like fresh air and the feel of the sun on your face, the big panoramic sunroof
available on the Kia
Sportage will deliver plenty of both.

2.0-LITER
TURBOCHARGED ENGINE

Power
hungry buyers will love the 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder on the 2015
Sportage. Offered exclusively on the SX trim, its 260 horsepower is the most in
its compact SUV class.

2015 Kia Sportage Details

Interior

Generally
speaking, we like the 2015 Kia
Sportage interior. The comfortable front seats and simple controls make it easy
to drive around town. Rear passengers will like the roomy rear seats, but if
you're looking to haul cargo, the modest 54.6-cubic-foot cargo hold you have
with those seats folded may not cut it as well as a Honda CR-V, which offers
over 70 cubic feet of cargo space. That said, we like the anti-bacterial cloth
on EX models, which helps eliminate odors and stains. While we're fans of the
panoramic sunroof, we'd prefer the sunshades were power operated, not manual.

Exterior

Kia calls its signature
grille design a "tiger nose," although we're not sure we see the
resemblance. Regardless, swept-back headlights flank the distinctive grille,
fitting with the sharp lines and narrow side glass of the Sportage. The
Sportage's high beltline and big wheel-and-tire combo make it look a bit like a
hopped-up VW GTI. Don't be fooled by the Sportage's sporty appearance, however,
but its available all-wheel drive and nearly seven inches of ground clearance
make it a capable compact SUV.

Notable Equipment

Standard
Equipment

Base Kia Sportage LX
models come with a 6-speaker audio system that includes Bluetooth, USB and
SiriusXM satellite radio, and steering-wheel mounted buttons for audio, phone
and cruise control. An Active Eco system helps drivers save fuel, and rear-seat
passengers get their own air conditioning duct. Also included is a
tilt/telescoping steering column and 17-inch aluminum-alloy wheels. Sportage EX
and SX models add Kia's UVO infotainment system, Infinity premium audio system
with a subwoofer, back-up warning system, rearview camera, a cooling glovebox
and automatic climate control. The SX gets exclusive high-intensity headlights,
plus the turbocharged engine and 18-inch alloy wheels.

Optional
Equipment

The
most important stand-alone option on the Kia Sportage is all-wheel
drive, which adds $1,500 to the price of any model. You can enhance the LX with
UVO eServices and the Popular package which bundles a backup camera and keyless
entry. The EX Premium package adds the panoramic sunroof, ventilated front
seats, leather trim, and voice-navigation with SiriusXM traffic. SX buyers have
the option of choosing the same

Luxury package.

Under
the Hood

The
2.4-liter 4-cylinder under the hood of LX and EX Sportage SUVs may be
overshadowed by its turbocharged cousin, but with advanced fuel injection and
competitive power and torque, it's no slouch. But, yeah, we have to admit we
like the 2.0-liter turbocharged engine in the SX. Who wouldn't? With 260 horsepower
delivered smoothly through its 6-speed automatic transmission, it gives you the
power of a V6 engine. Like the turbo, the 2.4-liter 4-cylinder is connected to
a 6-speed automatic which can be shifted manually. While both engines are
competitive in power, they lag the field in fuel economy.

The
2015 Kia Sportage compact SUV starts with a Manufacturer's Suggested Retail
Price (MSRP) of a bit more than $22,500. The additional features of the EX
model start at about $26,000, while the turbocharged SX is right under the
$29,000 mark. Note that all-wheel drive adds $1,500 to the price of any
Sportage. A fully loaded SX will run you about $34,000 when you add the Luxury
Package and all-wheel drive, but we think a better bet is the mid-level EX,
which lacks the turbo's power, but gets better fuel economy. Be sure to check
KBB's Fair Purchase Price before you buy to see what others are paying for the
Kia Sportage in your area. Residuals won't be quite as good as the Honda CR-V
or Subaru Forester, but probably on par with the Chevy Equinox and Toyota RAV4,
and better than the Nissan Rogue, Jeep Compass and VW Tiguan.